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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (July 24, 1917)
PAOTC SIX i MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MKPFORD, OTiEC'OX, TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1017 AMERICA'S MOST AMAZING MURDER MYSTERY TUNNEL GUARDS BELGIAN NATION ACTUALLY DYING BY STARVATION Last Reports Received by the Bel gian Relief Commission Picture a Nation Dyinp. in Prison German U-boat Attacks Our Relief Ships- Diminish Rations One-Half. lty L. HARI'KH LEECH. WASHINGTON, July 24. Holglum Is actunlly Bturvlng to death starv ing stubbornly and gallantly, even de fiantly, but dying. Last reports received !y tlio Bel glnn relief commission picture a na tion dying in prison. The greatest crime In history. the murder of a na jion by hunger is now in progrosB. Dentil by Torture. Tlio plight of the children of Israel under the blackest of tho Pharaohs who ruled in tho Nllo valley was abounding prosperity compared to the slow torture of 7,000,000 of human beings. Due to Gorman submarine attacks on the relief ships, the ration now din-, penned by the relief commission amounts to one-half tho amount of food necessary to keep an Idle man barely ailvo. Over 2,000,000 riolglans receive practically no other food. Prices of native food aro out of reach. Eggs aro .10 cents apiece and other things In proportion. .The aver ngo working man with a family is now earning loss than $1 per day. His purchasing powor Is trifling. As a re sult tho midday moal of men in the mines, fields and factories consists of sliced cattle beets. Jlciilli Ituto Itupldly Mount. In ono Helgiiin industrial plant the dentil rntes nniong the workers for the first three jilSnths of 1917 was throe and ono-hnlf times the averngo for the same threo months of prcncdltig years. Tho rcslstanco'-to sickncHS has been rut to one-third' normal. Ninety-five per cent of the workers showed loss of weight, and 35 per cent lost from 10 to 4 0 pounds ench. The men die from the simples mal ady. A severe cold or grippe means certain death. "On April 1 there was a general striko in ono Belgian province. Tho men niado no demands and had no grlevonco against tholr employers. They simply quit hocauso they wcro too weak to work, s. :n . In one llclgluD province tho attend ants at the public, soup kitchens In creased from 60,000 to 400,000 from February 1, 1017, to March 31. White PlMguo Hi (vidliig. Tuberculosis la spreading rapidly. In ono town of 30,000 the deaths for tho first three months of 1017 wore double tho number In tho samo period of into. Great Britain, her colonies and the allies me still contributing enough money lo keep the nnnplo from starv ing, but tlio submarines have mado it lmpofslblo lo deliver tho food. Germany is tho only nation In 40(1 years which has refused to be respon slble for the feeding and lives of peo ple in conquered territory. Instead, she began by plundering the Belgians of most of their grain mid livestock nud still keeps up n system of fines liliil extortion. Intelligent Belgians place tho re sponsibility squarely on Germany's submarines, but some of the starving people are beginning to think they have been deserted by the allies. Germany endeavors to emourago this belief by propaganda. Nevertheless. Belgium stlll defies her tyrants. Their "morale" Is un impaired. Since the German "depor tations" began last October not one Belgian town has given up to the Ger man slave drivers its list of men of working age. Thousands of the slaves herded Into cuttle cars by the German soldiers have laid down their lives or starved in prison camps rather than work for their enemy. RIGHTS TRANSFERABE NOIITII YAKIMA, Wash., July 21. Indian rights In free water given by act of congress for 4 0 acres of each al lotment, passes to other owners with the transfer of the 1 1( ! to the land and, where allotments have been sub divided, the free water Is to be divid ed between them III proportion lo their Irrlgnblo area, according to a tloclsloli by the Indian department, on authorisation wlilrli has been pending for two years. Many thousand of ocroii In Iho Yakima reservation aro affected by the ruling, which will make possible a speedy determination of what iHiid Is entitled to free water and the making of nrrangeiiieiits for jiurchnso of additional water needed. Gagged by Strange Law, Iowa Citi zens Leave State to Talk Auout Murder of Eight County Faces Bloody Feud Preacher ChatrjJ With Ax Crime is "Paper De fendant," Charges Detective Wil kerson, Central Figure in Dramatic Circle. By CHESTER M. WRIGHT. VILLISCA, Iowa, July 24. Amer ica's most amazing muiC r has split this town and county Into two hoslllo camps, and brought tho imminent danger of hloudy feud. Excitement Is running so high to day two womon have died of shock, and Vlllisca citizens are traveling to Nebraska, 100 miles, in special cars. so they can discuss their sldo of the case in safety. I have heard accusations hurled against state officials, and the .legis lature charged with conniving at the passage of a law designed to halt fur ther investigation into the killing of eight persons to shield a power in politics. 1 "Horleii of Ax Murders. All this turmoil grows from the most atrbcl'ous of the series of "ax murders" that have startled, this country In the past few years Iho slaughter of Joseph Moore, his wife, their four children and two children of a neighbor, Joseph Stilllnger, In 1912. A traveling minister, Rov. Lyn George J. Kelly, Is In jail, formally charged with the ax crime. But the central figure today 1b a free-lance dotectlvo, J. N. WUkerson, who charges Kelly is an Innocent "pa per dofendunt" whose conviction is designed to shield tho real criminal. WUkerson, known to hnlf the com munity as "Wllk," dashes thru town in a big touring car, and busiiicsB stops wlille the townspeople crane tholr necks to watch. Ho is tho cause of tho "anti-Wllker- hoii law," rushed thru tho last legisla ture In Its closing hours. Under It he has been barred from public (.peaking on tho "ax murder' case. Htnco tho excursions to Nebraska, where 3000 lowans have hnhrd him ill Boyd's the atre, Omaha. WUkerson Is shortly to dofy the Iowa attorney-general by speaking In Dcs Mollies, state capital, and plans a campaign for the repeal of tho law. Spooking (YuhkIc. J WUkerson, engaged first by friends of the dead man, then by the county and later working Independently, !o gnn his public speaking crusndo after failure to seenro indictment on his ovtdenee. During his speeches WUkerson op enly used tho name of P. F. Jones In connection with tho case. Jones Is bank president, implement dealer, for. mer assemblyman and for two terms wns state senator. Ho has been Meth odist Sunday school superintendent 2ti years. Joe Moore, ax victim, formerly worked for Jones. Then ho went Into business for himself, whereupon Jones gavo him a banquet. Jones sued WUkerson for $60,001), alleging slnnder, but lost his suit. Re cently WUkerson and three othors were nrrcstod, charged with conspir acy to steal documents from the Jones safe. Wiltkersotf was freed on $IO,OUf, bonds while big Joe Peterson cried, "tiinko It $1(10,000, judge." The present murder charge accuses Kelly of the murder of "l.ona Stillln ger and seven othors." This wording lias aroused Joe Stilllnger to righting pitch. Lena Stilllnger was 1 1 when sho mot her death, the oldest of tho six slain children. Was It Ax Muiiler. It Is Wllkersons contention that tho murder hero was done by the man who committed the Bluo Inland, III., ax murders and that he was paid for the murder by someone who wanted Joseph Moore statu. "Blaekle" Mansfield was at one tlmo under arrest In Kansas City, but was released. Two yours after the Yllllma murder Mansfield's wife and child were slain with nil ax ut Blue Island. Mrs. Mansfield had sworn out a warrnnt charging "Bbukle" with abandonment. It was the similarity of circumstances surrounding the two murders, WUkerson says, that started him on his present line of action. Kveryono connected with the strange case talks freely. "Come right In" was Jones gr'eeting. He seems unroncerned, except for his wife's falling health. He ridicules WUkerson calls him a man with a "typnotlc eye," who has duped his followers. "Business was never so good,' he said by way of emphasising his popu larity. "And our Sunday school at tendance as never hotter. It aver ages 2T5." Vivo Vear, Nome Timidly. It Is five years since the tragedy. hut tho whole country Is In a fever of excitement. There nro few "neu- train." "Half and half Is about how the "Jones side" describes sentiment. "Ninety per cent are with us," say WUlkerson follows. Even tho church peoplo join in the feudal rivalry and antagonism. A wide automobile rond has been worn in front of the little white homo whore tho murders took place. Once thero was but a path, but tourists have come from many points to see tho place. "I'll stay to the finish," says WU kerson, "even It they put mo In pris on." "It will all come right In the end; it must," declared Jones. 'I'll spend my Inst dollar if I have to," says Joe Stlllingor. Meanwhile tho people watch and wait, whllo the rich, expanding fields of growing corn wave their war bride greeting to familiar home folk and passing strangers with Impartial grace. i GERMAN FLYERS SEEK AMERICANS AMERICAN TRAINING CAMP IN FRANCE, July 2 1. German nerlal squudiillas apparently hnvo pcrslat outly sought to locate the American troops Blnce their arrival here, but without the slightest success to date. Counter-sqiiadrillas have been so watchful that Germans have been un ablo to approach the encampment and have boen boaten off each time they crossed the French line. Ono of these aerial buttle look placo yesterday ev ening and ano, tier this morning. Both woro at points at a considerable ills- lanco apart and far removed rrom the delegates sent by the council of work Amorlcan camp. They wcro w itnessed I men's and soldiers' delegates to con by chapco by American officers who 1 for with the labor parties of entente wore touring the country In nutonio-1 countries have arrived in England, biles. About 1,1 airplanes were en-1 They will be the guests of the labor gaged In the first flght and probably , party for a few days and then will a dozon In tho latter. proceed to Paris. "A-l J DODGE Eaton (& Cimphell, Seattle "our experience with Xerolene has been en tirety satisfactory." ZER lb The Standard Oil Endorsed & PI y hi ATTEND CONFERENCE eJ.KWLKERS'ON, Here nresliown leading figiut.s in Yilism'et feud, growing out of amaz ing ax mlU'der mystery, together with IMistec uschI by lletectlvo Wilkel'son in advertising migration to Omaha, el., for moss meeting forbidden in Iowa, mid sketch showing how mur ders of eight, persons were committed. 10 SPEED UP CONGRESS NKW YORK', July 21-Letters lo the iMlilorsoUM)0 Amuricnn news papers known (o f'nvor nirre ,sive prosecution of flic Wur were sent to day by tlio nalioiml security league, asking them to iipenl to their rend ers to write to senntors and ron irressme niirgin" tlie speeding up of Hie war program. . "Hod lupe mid personal jealousy aro delaying Hie efficient, cundiiol of the war," (be. letter says in part. "Two weeks delay lost the (inllipnli fighl. Kvery hour wasted imperils our cuiise.'' RUSSIAN DELEGATES LONDON, July 24, The Russian FORD X 4 UnWfnal Auto Co., Spokane "have been using Zerolena for several months A-l quality.' BUICK J. P. Lauppe, Sjcramrnro "We have found Zerolene. to be a M(i factory lubricant for tiuick Automobile." MERCER Mercer Pacific Owl Agc'y, San Ftancwco ZrolpnfB baa proven very Mti factory." Eza for Motor Cars by Leading Car Distributors ENE Iw"im the rrconb of their icrvire d rrtmntj showthftt Zcrolcnc. correct . rrtnwd from California aiphalt-boM injur. g,vr prrtrct luhnca tion lrv Mar, more pow er, least carbon deposit. Pfslrtl frmwhrrt. and at our ten-He sutiocs. STANDARD Oil COMPANY Ma. CALLED BY GEORGE LOiN'DOX, .Tnly 24. Premier Lloyd GeorRe has written a letter to William O'Brien, leader of the independent na tionalists, expressing regret at the un willingness of O'Urien to nominate representatives of his party to the convention of the Irish party and ask ing him to recede from his stand. The convention, says the latter of Mr. Lloyd-George, has been called in a sin cere effort to see if an agreement can not he reached between Irishmen and happier relations brought about be tween Ireland and Great Urltain. "With the object in view," the pre mier continues, "I know yon are In ful sympathy and I most earnestly hope you will respond to this appeal, an appeal whlcii I understand has come from many others, to help to ward securing the success of the con vention." Mr. O'Urien In (he course of a lengthy reply, says tho type of con vention selected defeats tho object in view with fatal certainty by leaving the great mass of Irish nationalists aimost.wholly unrepresented and by conferring the power of a majority upon a party of politicians who have notoriously lost the confidence of the Irish people a party, moreover, whose do facto leaders have devoted all their energies for years to malting conciliation with our northern follow connrymcn impossible." MONEY Paid for Second-hand SUITS Will pay Five Dollars and up for good second-hand suits. Will buy odd coats, hats and shoes Phone 467 AUTO TIRES SET I make ft specialty of auto tire set ting anil wheel repairing. Also all kinds of Mackamltlilng and horse shoeing. At tho old stand, outk Itivrrstde. Tom Mefriman Captain Grover Todd of Company i is In receipt of a telegram from Col onel Dentler, commanding army offi cer of the First district, western de partment, notifying him to Inform tho Southern Paclfc that on or before August 1, 'the army troops which have een guarding the railroad property In D oseburg and Winchester, Oregon and vicinity wif'blc withdrawn. Company I, Third Oregon Infantry, which has been In the federal service for several months, with headquarters in Med ford, has been guarding the railroad property at these points, and Colonel Dentler's order nieans that with Roseburg and Winchester left out Captain Todd will have much less territory to guard, and will thus have more men to guard' the remaining tunnels, bridges and other Southern Pacific property between Roseburg and the other side of the Slskiyous. There has been much conjecture as to whether the war department will continue Company I in this guard pa trol service much longer, or If tho company Is taken away to mobilize with its regiment in tho near future at Palo Alto, California, other federal troops will bo sent hero to talio Com pany l's place. So far no information can be learned on this situation.' WkoleWKeat.M6re, Nutritious than Bread KRUMBLES Is the first wheat food that gives you all the delicious Savor of the wheat- a 'Sweetness that grows richer and richer the more you chew it. One Cent a DisK 6S KrumMes AJ1WW Ready to Ea m iii c? -v Did You Buy a Liberty Bond? 1XVKSTITXOVIXOXHOKOUI '111,110 WHITK" KIAMONDH. We'll nllmv you During the last I n from 10 per cent MARTIN J. REDDY JIAI.ITV FIUST I'hono One-O. Visitors Always Welcome. DENN&Y&CO. Fruit Marketing Agents 1 Specializing in the dis tribution of northwest ern boxed fruits. I M.E. ROOT, Representative Medford, Phone 294 5 Main Office Chicago, III. Western Office Payette, Idaho F. II. HoRue, Western Manager, F The gross receipts from the about 50 national forests of Oregon, Wash ington and Alaska, comprising the North Pacific district of the forest service, for the fiscal year ending June' 30, 1917, were 1644,937. 57, ac cording to a report Just compiled In the office of the district forester, Geo. II. Cecil of Portland, who la in Med ford today. . ' Refunds due to excess payments for timber or forage were made to the amount of $8,701.39, leaving the ac tual receipts for tho year $fi36,176.18,f which Is noarly $150,000 greater than tho receipts for the year 1916. Of this amount $450,000 was de rived from the sale of national forest timber In the district and $168,00(J from grazing permits. Special use permits brought in $11,000. The re mainder came from power sites, tim ber Battlement and timber and grazing trespass. The Whitman national forest In eastern Oregon leads the district -In the amount of receipts from all sourc es with a return of $119,533.20 and of this amount $107,500 was derived from the sale of timber. Tho Crater national forest stands second with a total return of $95, 597.69. Ninety-two thousand dollars of this came from thto timber salo business. KRUMBLES is tho whole of the wheat with all of the protein, the phosphates, the mineral saltsand bran the things the decttrs say a!l grow in? children need. .").MI on jour 1,111611)' Horn). years flno Diamonds havo Increased to 15 per cent per year.